The spectrometer is an increasingly popular measuring device in many industries from materials research, food, electronics, environment… It is an almost indispensable device in laboratories, helping to analyze Quickly analyze data, find errors or omissions that are invisible to the naked eye.

In this article, let’s learn useful information about spectrophotometers to have the most general overview of the functions, uses and structure of this type of device.

Before jumping into learning about spectrophotometers, let’s review a little about the concept of spectroscopy, so that we can understand the knowledge below more easily.

What is a spectrophotometer used for?

A spectrometer (spectrometer) is a specialized device used to separate, quantify and analyze the spectrum of light, specifically from a spectrum of complex light, it will be analyzed into simple light rays. . Based on the intensity and wavelength of the separated light when passing through a sample (solution or solid), engineers can use it to study the properties of this object and determine its color. , check the composition and structure of materials, determine the content of substances in any solution….

Because spectrophotometers can be used for many different purposes, one type of machine cannot do all the functions. Therefore, developers have created many different machine models to meet specialized applications (To learn more about machine types, please scroll down below).

Principle of operation of the spectrometer

After reading and understanding the basic structure of a spectrophotometer, surely the operating principle of this machine is no longer too difficult for you, right? Briefly summarized as follows:

Step 1: When starting the device, the light source will emit multi-color light to provide for the analysis process.

Step 2: Multicolored light will go from the light source into the collimator. Here, divergent light rays will be converted into parallel light beams.

Step 3: The parallel light beam will continue to go to a dispersion system that can be a prism or diffraction grating to separate white light into monochromatic bands of light with different colors (wavelengths).

Step 4: Monochromatic light, after passing through the dispersion system, will reach a baffle to select the wavelength (Wavelenght Selector). You can choose the wavelength you want by adjusting the dispersion system (like clip).

Step 5: The selected monochromatic light will pass through the partition and into the dark chamber. Here, light will shine through the sample to be analyzed and displayed on the projection screen for you to observe.

Step 6: With the integration of the Detector on today’s modern spectrophotometers, you probably won’t need to put your eyes into the microscope like on old equipment. Light passing through the sample will be sent straight into the detector, go through the data processing circuit and display the analysis results on the device’s screen.